Of Heirlooms and Secrets
by Elle-Procrastinator
Summary: ONESHOT Halt remembers something from his past - and decides it's high time he have a little talk with his former apprentice. Halt and Will in the family sense. After book 10. Spoilers.


Hey all, this is just a short one-shot on Will and Halt, and the two as a family. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Ranger's Apprentice series or characters, no matter how much I wish I did.

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><p><strong>Of Heirlooms And Secrets<strong>

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><p><strong>Many Years Ago<strong>

"Father, you wished to see me?" Fourteen-year-old Halt questioned, inclining his head slightly at the older man.

The King of Clonmel waved aside his son's formal manner, and gestured for him to sit. The two were in the ever elegant throne room, and Halt's father was seated on his throne. Halt walked forward briskly, kneeling before the foot of the royal chair, head bowed in respect.

"Halt," His father started hesitantly, "There will come a day when you become King of Clonmel, in my place. You realize that," He had said the last part as a statement, but Halt knew that his father was waiting for him to answer.

He thought of his brother for a split second, then lied through his teeth, "Yes, father."

The King looked satisfied. "Good. Now, there is this tradition of sorts that has been passed down from my family for generations and generations," He paused here to see is his son had anything to say.

Halt looked up briefly. "Tradition?"

"Yes," The older man said slowly. "Well, no. More like... an heirloom. Yes, that's it. So you see, Halt, my boy, there is an heirloom that has been passed down my family for generations, and each generation this heirloom is given to the eldest son."

"And that would be me, father?" Halt asked uncertainly, keeping his head bowed.

The King nodded once, twice. "Yes, exactly. And I'd like to present it to you as soon as possible. And then, when you have a son, you would hand down the heirloom to him, and when he has a son, it would go to him, and so on and so forth. Do you understand?"

Halt bobbed his head. "I understand. But," He hesitated, unsure of whether to continue. His father noticed this and gestured for him to go on. "But father, what if I don't have a son?" Young Halt asked curiously.

The older man hesitated for a moment. Then, with utmost certainty, he replied.

"Then you give it to someone you regard as your own son. Someone you love."

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><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

"Halt? What did you call me out here for?" Will asked, following his former mentor out into the woods.

Halt kept silent, fingering a small box under his cloak. "Stop asking questions." He said gruffly.

Will, wisely, clamped his mouth shut and followed, although his eyes were filled to the brim with curiosity. A few minutes later, Halt decided to stop, now one hundred percent sure no one was around and eavesdropping. He turned around to face his former apprentice. Will waited patiently, waiting for him to speak.

"Will," He started, "there is this tradition of sorts that has been passed down from my family for generations and generations."

Will arched an eyebrow, listening attentively. "Tradition, Halt?"

"Yes," The older man said slowly. "Well, no. More like... an heirloom. Yes, that's it. So you see, Will my boy, there is an heirloom that has been passed down my family for generations, and each generation this heirloom is given to the eldest son." Unconsciously, Halt had been repeating what his father had told him many years ago.

Both of Will's brows disappeared into his hairline when Halt had said 'Will my boy,' and it went even higher as he finished speaking. "Er, Halt? You don't have a son; much less an eldest one."

Halt was annoyed now, contemplating whether he should just give up or plow on. He evidently chose the latter. "Yes, I know, I know. It's just that my father had told me this as well, and I'd asked him a question in turn." He paused.

Will, eager to move things along, asked, "What did you ask him?"

"I asked him what I should do if I don't have a son." Halt replied, grateful for his question to keep him going.

Will was tempted to snort and make a sarcastic remark, but bit his tongue. He didn't know why, but he felt it was an important moment. Halt was always serious, but this time... It seemed like he had something important to say. He waited, silently urging the older man on, silently urging him to speak. That was when Halt took out the small box. Opening it, Will nearly gasped aloud at the beautiful yet simple ring that sat in its confinement.

The ring was a thin silver band, with a small emerald green gem set in the middle. The ring was plain, but etched in flowing letters on the side was a word that Will thought he would never come across.

"When I asked my father that question," Halt said quietly, thankful for the cowl that hid his features, "he told me to give the ring to someone whom I regard as my own son. Someone... Someone I love." There, he'd said it.

As Will took a second to decipher Halt's words, his lips formed an 'o' of surprise. Then, he couldn't help but grin. Under his cowl, away from prying eyes, Halt smiled a small smile.

It may have been indirect; it may have not been a straight out confession, but the implications of Halt's words was all Will needed. Because Halt had said he loved him.

"But I don't have anything for you," Will replied, but his words were only a back-up for his next.

"Dad." He finished, still smiling broadly. And for one second, for one, miniscule second, Halt broke his barrier and his eyes flooded with warmth, full of emotion, before turning hard and unreadable once more. But it had been there.

In case the moment was getting too emotional for the two men, Will added, "Never thought I'd get to know this tidbit right there," He said, looking pointedly at the ring. "Or such sappy implications coming from the ever silent Halt," He joked.

Halt's mouth was set in a grim line. "Don't count on another." He all but growled, as he looked at Will's grinning, fresh face.

"Yeah, yeah," Will started dismissively, before his face broke out in a sly smile. His next words were accompanied with a snicker, although some would wonder why: he had merely said Halt's name, along with the inscription from the ring.

In other words, Will had said his old, grizzly mentor's full name; first... And last. The name that only past mentor and apprentice now knew.

The ring would be something to cherish, something that Will, when he grew older and had children, would hand down to his oldest son. The ring, with its silver band and emerald gem, would be forever passed down the family.

Halt and Will's family.

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><p><strong>The End<strong>

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><p>Hope you liked it! So, in case I wasn't forward enough for you, the ring's inscription had Halt's family's last name on it. His last name will not be revealed.<p>

Thanks for reading, Elle-Procrastinator (Previously Sohuycho)

**Edit: **Nothing major, just formatting and some grammar.


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